The problem of firearm-caused accidents due to the accidental discharge of bullets is a serious one, particularly in the armed forces, and has found no real solution beyond warning and disciplinary efforts, the effects of which are unfortunately rather limited. The basic cause of these accidents is obviously the "cartridge in the chamber," which devolves the entire responsibility for safety upon the slender shoulders of the safety catch, which cannot always be relied upon under field conditions. Still, while the "cartridge in the chamber" is regarded as a serious breach of discipline under ordinary circumstances such as basic training and routine guard duties, the loaded chamber cannot be avoided in certain security operations, such as patrolling in hostile territory, and the like. This problem is even more compounded when blank cartridges are used during training or field exercises and a real, or "live," cartridge is accidentally loaded.
There are known devices utilizable with blank cartridges for facilitating the cocking of a firearm; such devices are attached to the barrel of the firearm by means of a screw traversing the barrel for the purpose of arresting the gases produced when a cartridge is fired. Such devices pose a real danger to the user and to the firearm itself, in the event that the firearm's magazine was loaded with a "live" cartridge and a bullet is accidentally fired, hitting the screw.